Window cleaning device



Nov. 8, 1932. e. H. TRUDA ET AL WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE Filed Dec. 3, 1950 9 zzdzg firm/K Wilde awe/r ATTORNEY INVENIORS 66021 A ['2' 42 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES Pm GEORGE E. TRUDA, on MONTGLAIR, NEW zrnn snv, AND JOHANNA M. WILDE, on

NEW YORK, N. Y.

wmnow CLEA ING DEVICE.

Application filed December 3, 1930. Serial No. 499,658.

This invention relates'to window cleaning devices, and has for its general object and purpose to provide a simply constructed and inexpensive device which may be manipulated and operated with a minimum of manual labor for the purpose of easily and quickly cleaning the panes of window sashes without requiring that the user shall stand upon the outer sill of the Window in imminentrisk of life or limb. w

It is a more particular object of our invention to provide a Window cleaning device embodying a suitable supporting frame attached to one end of a handle member, and a flexible endless supportassuming the general outline of a polygon whenattached' to said'frame for a washing or cleaning element adjustably mounted in i said frame whereby any one of the surfaces of the cleaning element may be opposed to the window glass. a I I It is an additional object of the invention to provide an improved mounting of an endless motor driven flexible band or belttfor the cleaning element together with meanswherebythe cleaning element may be very easily and quickly applied to or removed from said driving belt. I

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in theimproved win dow cleaning device, and in" the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and subsequently incorporated the subjoined claim In the drawing, whereinwe have disclosed one simple and practical embodiment of our invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,y

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the device, a. part of the handle member being broken away; 7 V

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; 7

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view-taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on'a'n enlarged scale taken on the line IE- 1' of Fig. 1;

'ois, rubber, or other material, which maybe Fig. 5 isa section taken on'theiline 5'5 ofFig.4,and r 1 1 Fig. 6 is .a detail sectional view 'taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1. r

Referring'in' detail to the drawing, 5*indicates asupporting frame for the cleaning element. This frame is preferably constructed of aluminum'or other relatively lightmet a1 and consists of two similarend members of general T-shaped form, each of said mem- 6U bers including apart 6 with which the part 7 is centrally and integrally connected. The parts 6 of the twoxend members are-rigidly connected to hold said members in spaced relation to eachother by the spaced parallel 6 bars 8'which may be welded or otherwise permanently secured to saidparts. Inthe oppo 7 site ends of the parts 6,-the ends of rollers 9 are rotatably'supported in-suitablea ntr friction bearingsand a similar roller :10

is alsomounted in anti-friction bearings provided'upon the ends of 'parts'i', An:end

less driving belt 11 extending substantially the entire length of the rollers 9 and :10 has frictional driving engagement with said rollers. This belt may be of canvas'yrubberor othersuitable material. 7 i v The'cleanin'g-element indicated at 12 is also in the form of an endle'sssheet of felt, "chain readily slipped over and'upon the outer surface of the driving belt ll'and removabl'y held thereon bytheelastic bands indicated at 13 which are engaged upon the opposite ends of the cleaning element tothereby clamp the same to the surface of the belt 11. i

Each of the parts 7 of the end framemems hers is provided intermediate of its ends with an opening 14 to receive an attaching bolt 15 for an arm 16. Thisarm at one of its ends is provided with an annular series'of teeth or serrations 17 surrounding thebolt receiv ing opening therein for locking engagement 7 with complementary teeth or serrations 18 provided upon the outer face of the frame part 7. i The inner face of this frame'part is recessed to receive a rectangular head 19 on one end of the bolt 15. A clampingnut20 of anysuitable form is threaded upon the other endof thisbolt for adjustmentagainst the arm 16 to retain the same in locked engagement with the frame part 7.

Each of the arms 16 at its other end is formed with a flat tubular part 21 to receive the ends of a suitable U-shaped bail member 22, said bail member being detachably secured in connection with the arms 16 by set screws indicated at 23. To the center of the bail member 22, one end of the handle section 2 1'is riveted or otherwise rigidly fixed. This handle section is adapted to be adjust'a bly telescoped within the main handle section 25 and is fixed in its adjusted positionb the set screw 26. H

One of the end trunnions of the roller 10 is formed for connection with one end of a flexible drive shaft 27 which may be driven by a small powered electric motor (not shown). I

In the use of the device as above described, it'will be readily understood that by loosening the clamping nuts 20, the frame 5 together with the driving belt and cleaning element thereon may be readily adjusted as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing'so as to position one side of the triangular shaped'cleaningelement for proper engagementwith the surface of the window pane in accordance with the position of the operator with respect to the window. Upon then starting the electric motor, the roller 10 is positively driven by the flexible shaft 27 as the operator manipulates the handle 25 andmoves the contacting side of the cleaning device over the surface of the window pane. 1 Thus, all parts of the endless cleaning element .12 are brought into contact with the surface of the glass. In the first operation, the cleaning element may consist of sponge rubber, fabric or other water absorbent-ma terial which is thoroughly saturated. After the use of this water saturated cleaning element, it may be easily and quickly removed by simply loosening the set screws 23 to detach the bail 22 so that arms 16 may be swung downwardly parallel to the frame parts 7 Theelastic bands 13 are then removed so that the endless cleaning element canbe laterally shifted from "the drive belt 11 over one end of the frame. A dry cleaning element of felt, rubber or other material is then applied upon the surface of the drive belt 11 and held thereon by the 'elasticbands 13, after which the bail member 22 is again connected with arms 16. Upon operation of the device with this drying element engaged with the surface of the window glass, the water thereon will be absorbed or removed.

In instances where electric power may not be available, or it is not desired to purchase a motor, the device may be used with the cleaning element stationary with respect'to the supporting frame therefor, since by reason of the adjustment of this frame, when one side of thetriangular shaped'cleaning element becomes more or less clogged with dirt,

another side thereof may be easily and quick- 1y positioned for engagement with the winow glass. Since these endless cleaning members will be comparatively inexpensive, several of them can be kept on hand so that when one of them becomes unusabledue to accumulations of dirt, it may be easily removed and a new one applied to the flexible belt or band ll. ,Thus, it will be apparent that a window cleaning device of the above description will be very-economical in use. The adjustment of the polygonal shaped cleaning element also enables theuser to readily manipulate the same over the outersurface of the window glass by means of the handle member 25 Without leaving the room, thus avoidingthe necessity of standing upon the windowsill with the accompanyingdanger of a fall resulting in serious injury or death.

The various mechanical parts of our inven-. tion as herein disclosed, are exceedingly simple inform so that they can be produced at comparatively small manufacturing cost. We have shown and described an embodiment of the invention, which will be very eflicient and reliable in practical" use. Nevertheless, it is to be understoodv that as to the essential featuresthereof, the same may also be incorporated in various other alternative structural forms,'and we accordingly reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly incorporated within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. Y

We claim: 1

.1. A window cleaning device comprising an adjustable handle, a T-shaped frame in connection; therewith, havingrolle'rs at the free ends'of said frame, an endless cleaning element mounted on the rollers of said frame and assuming a polygonal form thereon,and means for adjustably mounting said frame upon one 'end' of the handle whereby one of the faces of the cleaning element may be disposed in position for engagement with the window glass. 7

2. A cleaningdevice comprising a handle, a T-shaped frame demountably connected to said handle, a-removable cleaningv element mounted on said frame forming a plurality of wiping faces around the frame, supporting arms for the frame, a bail member fixed to one end of the handle, means for detachably connecting the ends of the bail with said supporting arms, and means adjustably mounting said frame between the supporting arms whereby any one of the faces of the cleaning element may be disposed in position for engagement with the window glass.

3. A window cleaning device comprising a handle, a T-shaped frame mounted upon one end of said'handle, spaced rollers mounted in said frame, an endless belt engaged upon said rollers, said belt assuminga polygonal shaped form on said frame, means for clamping an endless cleaning element upon the surface of the belt, and a flexible driving connection with one of said rollers.

4. A window cleaning device comprising a handle, a frame, an endless belt mounted in said frame, a cleaning element removably carried by said belt, drive means for said belt, and means detachably connecting said frame With one end of said handle, said means including frame supporting arms, and means adjustably connecting said arms with the frame to position the cleaning element relative to the handle member for engagement with the surface of the Window glass, said means being disconnectible whereby the cleaning element may be removed from the driving belt.

5. A window cleaning device comprising an adjustable handle, a T-shaped frame containing rotatable members at its free end portions, an endless belt mounted on said frame and carried by said rotatable members and forming a polygonal outline thereon, and means for detachably connecting said frame with the handle whereby to change the position of the frame about said handle.

In testimony that we claim theforegoing as our invention, we have signed our names hereto.

GEORGE H. TRUDA.' J OHANN A M. WILDE. 

